Florida well water testing: what to test, how often, and what it costs

Sources last checked: November 4, 2026

Florida doesn’t require private well owners to test their water, not even when a home is sold.¹ That makes testing your job. The good news is that the core tests are simple and, through your county health department, inexpensive. This guide covers what to test, how often, typical fees, and how to get a sample to a lab correctly.

The baseline: bacteria and nitrate every year

The Florida Department of Health (FL DOH) strongly recommends testing for bacteria and nitrate at least once a year, and says most homeowners should test for lead every three years.¹ For a home purchase, FL DOH’s general recommendation is coliform bacteria, nitrates and lead.¹

Why these three:

• Bacteria. FL DOH notes that many bacteria aren’t harmful themselves, but their presence suggests other harmful bacteria, viruses or parasites may be in the water. Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are among the most common symptoms.¹
• Nitrate. It reaches wells from poorly maintained septic systems, livestock areas, fertilizer, or poorly built wells. High nitrate can pose an immediate threat to infants, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions, and can cause “blue baby syndrome.”¹
• Lead. Usually comes from plumbing rather than the aquifer, which is why FL DOH puts it on a slower three-year cycle.¹

UF/IFAS adds pH to the annual list in its testing guide.² The U.S. EPA recommends yearly testing for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH.³

Extra tests based on where your well is

UF/IFAS recommends adding tests based on nearby land use:²

FL DOH also says some counties recommend testing for naturally occurring radiological contaminants, and that the health department may sometimes test for certain toxic substances free of charge. Ask your county health department what it recommends locally.¹ If you suspect contamination from industrial or agricultural chemicals, UF/IFAS points to Florida’s Well Surveillance Program, run by FL DEP and FL DOH with county health department staff doing the sampling.²

When to test right away

Don’t wait for the yearly test if:²

• You replaced or repaired any part of the well system.
• Your wellhead was surrounded by or submerged in floodwater.
• There are known groundwater or drinking water problems in your area.
• The taste, odor or color of your water changes.

UF/IFAS also suggests testing more often when young children or elderly adults live in the home, and testing for nitrate early in pregnancy, before bringing an infant home, and during the baby’s first six months.²

What it costs

Prices vary by county, so check yours. Here’s what the sources publish:

Private state-certified labs also test well water, and most can run a broader panel than the health department. Prices aren’t published in one place, so call a few.¹

Collecting a bacteria sample the right way

A sloppy sample can show bacteria that aren’t in your well. Always follow the instructions in your kit; these are the common rules from FL DOH sources:

• Use only the sterile container your health department or lab provides. Brevard County, for example, accepts only its own THIO-BAG and says not to remove the white tablet inside.⁷
• Run the water for 5 minutes or more first, and keep your hands and fingers out of the stream.⁶
• Don’t sample from a hose. Brevard County says to disinfect the faucet opening with liquid bleach and wait 60 seconds before filling.⁷
• Collect at least 100 mL; Brevard rejects samples under that.^{6 7}
• Keep it cold and deliver it fast. The state lab wants samples delivered the same day and colder than 50°F, on ice in a cooler.⁶ Brevard requires delivery within two hours of collection and doesn’t accept samples on Fridays.⁷

If you have a softener or filter, Brevard’s instructions distinguish a raw sample (taken before any treatment) from a distribution sample (after treatment, like a kitchen tap).⁷ Ask your lab which one it wants for your question.

Finding a certified lab

FL DOH says to always use a state-certified laboratory so the results are accurate.¹ FL DOH points to the NELAP certified laboratory search for labs offering additional tests.⁶ Not every lab handles private well samples, so you may need to call several, and your county health department may know local options.¹

Some county health departments also publish lists of local sampling companies. Brevard’s lists companies that will collect samples, and notes its own lab processes only bacteriological samples, not lead or nitrate.⁸

Do some counties require testing?

For routine testing of an existing home well, no. But FL DOH says county health departments in Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Duval, Flagler, Highlands, Hillsborough, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Sarasota and Volusia enforce local rules requiring testing of newly constructed or repaired wells. If you’re in one of those counties and having well work done, contact your county health department.¹ See our counties section as we add county-by-county guides.

A well serving two or more rental homes, or a home used as a day care, group home, nursing home or assisted living facility, is treated as a public water system with required testing, not a private well.¹

After the results come back

Your county health department can help you understand your results and what to do next.¹

• Coliform or E. coli positive: follow our guide to shock chlorinating your well, then retest.
• Orange stains or slime but a clean bacteria test: see iron vs. iron bacteria stains.
• Rotten-egg smell: start with the rotten-egg smell diagnosis, then choosing a system by hydrogen sulfide level.
• For treatment options in general, browse the treatment section; for help from a pro, see installers.

Sources